Self-gripping tool for turning socket head fasteners



Jan. 10, 1956 J. J. DELISO 2,729,998

SELF-GRIFFING TOOL FOR TURNING SOCKET HEAD FASTENERS Filed April 50,1954 1N VEN TOR. 7 6 JZHA/J DEL I so United States Patent SELF-GRIPPINGTOOL FOR TURNING SOCKET HEAD FASTENERS John J. Deliso, Worcester, Mass.Application April 30, 1954, Serial No. 426,849

2 Claims. (Cl. 81-72) This invention relates to a new and improved toolparticularly adapted to act in the manner of a wrench or nut runner forturning socket head fasteners such as Allen-head screws or the like, andthe principal object of the invention resides in the provision of aself-gripping tool of this nature which is easily and quickly insertablein the socket and tends automatically to expand to grasp the fastener atthe interior walls of the socket, whereby such fastener may be heldreleasably to the tool for quick and easy application thereof wheredesired.

Further objects of the invention reside in the provision of a tool ofthe class described comprising a pair of separate elongated wire membersshaped complementarily to fit the socket, said members being heldtogether in llatwise contacting relation by welding or by other meanssuch as a ferrule, said wire members being permanently sprung slightlyapart and providing for resilient compression thereof, so that when thefree ends thereof are inserted in a socket, they will be compressed orsprung toward each other to exert a reactionary force outwardly againstthe walls of the socket and frictionally hold the same thereto; and theprovision of a multi-part, secured wire wrench wherein the separateparts are made to be substantially on size to fit the socket, whencompressed, so that the wire parts support each other laterally to makea stronger tool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa view in side elevation of a tool according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view illustrating the tips of the socket-holdingmembers in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is an end view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end view of a modification;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation illustrating a step in the process ofmaking the tool;

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the use of the tool;

Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 illustrate other but non-limiting shapes of wire;and

Fig. 11 illustrates another form of wrench.

In carrying out the present invention, a pair of elongated drawn wiresgenerally indicated at 10 and 12 are provided and these wires are alikein section but reversed in the finished tool, so as together to form ashape complementary to the socket.

The cross section of the wire may be multi-sided and of any shape asillustrated, and the split between the wires may be either on a long ora short axis relative to the resultant solid. In actual use, the Fig. 3form is preferred, but the invention is not limited to this form andcould be made in the forms shown in Figs. 4 and 7-10 inclusive.

The two wires 10 and 12 are flatly held together and secured by sinkingthe same in a ferrule 14 (see Fig. 5) or by welding as in Fig. 11, seethe numeral 13. The ferrule is preferably provided with longitudinalkeys or the like, and the same may be sunk into a handle 16 which may bea conventional handle for tools such as screw-drivers, nut runners, etc.

In any event, it will be clear that the wires 10 and 12 are sprungslightly apart as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, andthis forms a space or slit 18 between the wires, regardless of the shapeof the wires. This separation is formed in such a Way as to preserve theresiliency of the wires, and they are held in the spaced relation shownand do not return to the original fiat contacting position of Fig. 5except when under the influence of inwardly directed pressure. When socompressed, the wires assume a complete and exact shape of the socket,and are on size and contact each other at their fiat sides providinglateral support.

The fingers of the operator may press the wires together so as to easilyenter the same into the socket head 20 of a conventional socket headfastener. On the other hand, the free ends of the wires may be beveledas at 22, so that the free ends of the wires may be thrust into thesocket as illustrated in; Fig. 6. In this figure, the tool is shown innormal condition in dotted lines, and it is merely necessary to advancethe same toward the socket and then press axially on the handle of thetool so that the beveled portions 22 act to cam the two wires in towardeach other as shown in solid lines in this figure. In this position, ofcourse, the not or other socketed fastener is firmly frictionally heldby the tool, and once the tool has provided for attachment of thefastener where desired, it is quickly and easily withdrawn, whereuponthe wires 10 or 12 may snap back to their original position in spacedrelation to each other, as in Fig. 1.

It will be seen that this invention provides a relatively simple andinexpensive nut runner or similar type of tool which grips the sockethead fasteners and holds the same while being applied to the desiredlocations. By using the two separate wires, any size of tool can be madedown to the extreme smallest size of nut or screw and this would ofcourse be impossible if it were attempted to make the tool by firstproviding a shaped section wire and then cutting it, as so much materialwould have to be removed as to make the wire ineffective for the purposeat hand.

Furthermore, relatively expensive cutting or slitting operations arecompletely avoided by making the present tool in the form of the twowires and also tempering, etc. is largely avoided, the only necessarything being to permanently separate the wires by forming the space 18 asdescribed above.

Any sectional shape is possible, and various forms are shown in thePigs. 7 l0 inclusive. These forms are illustrative and not inclusive,and in all cases, the socket outline or shape is the same as the wireswhen contacting, so that the socket is always filled and the parts aresolidly but releasably connected.

Having thus described my invention and the advan tages thereof, I do notwish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than asset forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. A tool for holding and turning a hexagonal socket head fastener, saidtool comprising a plurality of elongated conjoined but separate wireseach having a cross section in the form of half a regular hexagon, meansholding the wires in parallel relationship, said wires havingcorresponding free ends slightly spaced apart, said wires ofhalf-hexagon section being springy and each having a substantially flatside, the flat sides facing each other and together forming a fullregular hexagon section when pressed together, to substantially fit andfill the hexagonal socket of the fastener.

2. A tool for holding and turning a hexagonal socket ead fi fiq srh aisll.., .mn i n u l ty fie r gated conjoined but separate springy wires,means for holding the wires in substantially parallel relationship, saidwires having corresponding ends free, and being distorted to be slightlyspaced at the free endsthereof, 5 said wires when pressed togetherforming a regular hexagonal section to fitexaetly the socket of thefastener and each wire havinga flat side to contact a like flatside ofthe otherwir'e, said flat sides being diametrical of the hexagonal froma corner to an opposite corner thereof. 10

UNITED STHATES PATENTS Balsley Aug. 13, 1895 Jansson et al Nov. 4, 1930Muller June 27, 1933 Trotter Oct. 1, 1935 QR Q P EN France Oct. 24, 1932Switzerland Jan. 17, 1949 Germany July 9, 1951

